Toe fixture for a ski safety binding

ABSTRACT

A pair of toe-receiving pieces are pinned adjacent the front ends thereof to a frame mounted in position on a ski, in such a manner that the rear end portions of the toe-receiving pieces are turnable horizontally away from each other. The toe-receiving pieces have recesses formed in their rear ends, the recesses defining vertical walls outward portions of which constitute side pressure bearing portions for the toe of the ski boot. Means are provided adjacent the opposed inner ends of the vertical walls of the respective toe-receiving pieces for making slidable contact with toe of the ski boot and constituting forward pressure bearing portions. The points of contact between said means and the toe of the ski boot are normally located inside of the notional lines extending between the center of the rear end of the ski boot fixed in position on the ski and the respective pivot points of the toe-receiving pieces. Thus, the toe of the ski boot which is constantly urged forwardly by the forward pressure imparted by the heel holder of the ski safety binding is returned to its normal position when either of the points of contact between said means and the toe moves inside the notional line upon application of a force which is less than a predetermined limit. When a force in excess of the predetermined limit is exerted sideways upon the toe of the ski boot and the point of contact moves outwardly passing the notional line, either of the toe-receiving pieces is turned laterally of the ski to release the ski boot.

United States Iizuka atent [191 TOE FIXTURE FOR A SKI SAFETY BINDING [75] Inventor: Michio Iizuka, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Hope Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: Nov. 7, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 413,627

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 20, 1973 Japan 48-2040 [52] US. Cl. 280/1135 T [51] Int. Cl. A63: 9/08 [58] Field of Search 280/1135 T [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,638,959 2/1972 Reuge 280/1135 T 3,734,521 5/1973 Payrhammer.. 280/1135 T 3,744,810 7/1973 Jungkind 280/1135 T Primary Examiner-Robert R. Song Attorney, Agent, or FirmDiller, Brown, Ramik & Wight [57] ABSTRACT A pair of toe-receiving pieces are pinned adjacent the front ends thereof to a frame mounted in position on a ski, in such a manner that the rear end portions of the toe-receiving pieces are turnable horizontally away from each other. The toe-receiving pieces have recesses formed in their rear ends, the recesses defining vertical walls outward portions of which constitute side pressure bearing portions for the toe of the ski boot. Means are provided adjacent the opposed inner ends of the vertical walls of the respective toereceiving pieces for making slidable contact with toe of the ski boot and constituting forward pressure bearing portions. The points of contact between said means and the toe of the ski boot are normally located inside of the notional lines extending between the center of the rear end of the ski boot fixed in position on the ski and the respective pivot points of the toereceiving pieces. Thus, the toe of the ski boot which is constantly urged forwardly by the forward pressure imparted by the heel holder of the ski safety binding is returned to its normal position when either of the points of contact between said means and the toe moves inside the notional line upon application of a force which is less than a predetermined limit. When a force in excess of the predetermined limit is exerted sideways upon the toe of the ski boot and the point of contact moves outwardly passing the notional line, either of the toe-receiving pieces is turned laterally of the ski to release the ski boot.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU AUG 1 9 I975 sum 1 n5 2 PATENTED AUG 1 9l975 SHEET 2 o 2 FIG.5

TOE FIXTURE FOR A SKI SAFETY BINDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a toe fixture which, in combination with a cooperating heel fixture, constitutes a ski safety binding adapted to hold a ski boot in position on a ski so as to automatically release the ski boot as when the skier falls.

There have been proposed various forms of safety ski boot toe fixtures which are designed to permit easy but positive clamping of the toe of a ski boot and to accomplish an automatic release of the ski boot toe when subjected to excessive stresses. An example of such prior art toe fixtures, and perhaps one of the most widely accepted to date, is such that the so-called cup adapted to receive the ski boot toe is mounted on the ski so as to turn horizontally, either to the right or to the left of the ski, only when a force in excess of a predetermined limit is exerted thereon. The cup is held immovable when subjected to a force within the predetermined limit, and at least part of the internal surface of the cup is roughened or otherwise made irregular to prevent displacement of the ski boot toe relative to the cup.

Consequently, while the cup-type toe fixture is highly responsive to stresses in excess of the predetermined limit, it exhibits a serious defect in event the ski boot toe has slid side-ways within the cup, notwithstanding its roughened internal surface, upon application of a force falling short of the predetermined limit. If this happens while the skier is gliding over snow or like surfaces, his succeeding performance will be greatly hampered because the ski boot cannot be easily returned to its normal position on the ski. Worse yet, serious injuries such as sprains or bone fractures may result.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the noted disadvantages of the prior art, it is an object of this invention to provide a toe fixture for a ski safety binding such that the toe of the ski boot is smoothly released therefrom upon application of a force in excess of the predetermined limit but, when the force exerted upon the ski boot toe falls short of the predetermined limit, the boot toe can easily be returned to its normal position on the ski even after making lateral displacement relative to the toe fixture.

According to this invention, the cup of the prior art toe fixture previously set forth is replaced by a cooperative pair of toe-receiving pieces which are pivotally supported adjacent the front ends thereof so that the rear end portions of these toe-receiving pieces are turnable horizontally away from each other in the lateral direction of the ski. The toe-receiving pieces have recesses formed at the lower portions of their rear ends and defining vertical walls.

Preferably, a pair of rolls are rotatably supported adjaeent the opposed inner ends, respectively, of the respective toe-receiving pieces so as to make slidable contact with the front tip of the ski boot which is urged forwardly by a forward pressure imparted by a spring provided in a heel holder. The lateral or shoulder portions of the toe of the ski boot make contact with the outward portions of the vertical walls. The points of contact between the rolls and the front tip of the ski boot are located inside of the notional lines extending between the center of the rear end of the ski boot secured in position on the ski and the pivot points of the respective toe-receiving pieces.

Thus, when a force in excess of a predetermined limit is exerted sideways upon the toe of the ski boot the point of contact of the corresponding one of the toereceiving pieces will move outwardly passing the above described notional line and the release of the ski boot will be facilitated by a pivoting force acting on the toereceiving piece in a direction to turn it away from the axis of the ski. In event the point of contact moves inside the notional line upon application of a force less than the predetermined limit, the toe can easily be returned to its normal position thanks to a pivoting force exerted to the toe receiving piece in a direction to turn it toward the axis of the ski. The above noted defect of the prior art cup-type toe fixture is thus successfully overcome. It will be apparent that the pair of rolls can be replaced by a similar pair of rearward expansions formed integral with the respective toe-receiving pieces, as hereinafter referred to in more detail.

The features which are believed to be novel and characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and mode of operation, together with the further objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety ski boot toe fixture constructed by way of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view, partly in section, of the embodiment of FIG. 1 from which the base is removed to show other parts in detail;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. I; and

FIG. 5 is a top plan view explanatory of the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the safety ski boot toe fixture illustrated therein by way of a preferred embodiment of this invention includes a pair of toereceiving pieces 10 which in combination corresponds to the cup of the prior art toe fixture referred to earlier in this specification. Each of the toereceiving pieces 10 is pinned at 11 adjacent the front end thereof to a frame 12 so as to be tumable laterally outwardly parallel to the plane of the ski to which the toe fixture is secured. Typically, the frame 12 may be pivotally mounted on a base 13, FIGS. I and 4, that is screwed or otherwise secured to the ski, in such a fashion that the frame will turn horizontally relative to the ski only when subjected to a force acting in the lateral direction of the ski in excess of a predetermined limit. A pair of bores 14 may be formed vertically through the frame 12 and the respective toereceiving pieces I0 for use in screwing the base 13 to the ski. It is to be noted, how ever, that the method of mounting the frame 12 on the ski is well known in the art and does not constitute a part of this invention.

Each of the aforesaid toe-receiving pieces has a recess formed at a lower portion of its rear end. As will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 in particular, these recesses of the respective toe-receiving pieces are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis extending longitudinally of the ski and are adapted to receive the toe of a ski boot. The recesses 15 are defined, in part, by inwardly positioned vertical walls 16 which extend at right angles with the longitudinal axis of the ski when the rear ends of the toe-receiving pieces are in the illustrated positions closest to each other, that is, when the toe of the ski boot is normally engaged by the toereceiving pieces, and by outwardly positioned vertical walls 17 which are at an angle of, say, 120 with the respective inwardly positioned vertical walls 16.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a helical compression spring 18 is mounted between the front ends of the toereceiving pieces 10 to cause the rear end portions thereof to tend to turn toward each other on the respective pins 11. Adjacent the inward ends of the aforesaid vertical walls 16 defining the recesses 15, a pair of rolls 19 are rotatably supported by shafts or pins 20 ex tending vertically through the respective toe-receiving pieces 10.

Those portions of the rolls l9 projecting rearwardly of the inwardly positioned vertical walls 16 are adapted to make contact with the front tip of the ski boot, whereas the outwardly positioned vertical walls 17 are adapted to make contact with the lateral or shoulder portions of the toe of the ski boot. However, notwithstanding the showings of the drawings, therolls 19 may be replaced by a similar pair of rearward expansions formed at or adjacent the inward ends of the respective vertical walls 16, provided that sufficient sliding contact is assured between such rearward expansions and the ski boot toe. As its heel is properly supported by a heel fixture, not shown, of any known or suitable construction also secured in position on the ski and having a spring provided therein for imparting a forward pressure, the ski boot will be thereby resiliently urged forwardly, with the result that its front tip is pressed against the pair of rolls l9 and its shoulder portions against the outwardly positioned vertical walls 17. Thus, the pair of rolls 19 or rearward expansions and the outwardly positioned vertical walls 17 respectively constitute forward pressure bearing portions and side pressure bearing portions for the toe of the ski boot.

It is important to note that, as will be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the points of contact between the ski boot toe and the rolls 19, or the aforesaid rearward expansions adjacent the inward ends of the respective vertical walls 16, are positioned inwardly of the notional lines extending between the center of the rear end of the ski boot fixed in position on the ski and the respective pins 11 turnably supporting the toe-receiving pieces 10.

The preferred embodiment of the invention being constructed as above described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the toe of the ski boot is inserted into the recesses 15 of the toe-receiving pieces 10.

With the ski boot properly fastened to the ski, this represents the normal working state of the toe fixture according to the invention, and the boot will be held positively clamped to the ski as the skier glides over snow or other surfaces in the usual manner.

In event the ski boot is slightly twisted relative to the toe fixture so that a force within a predetermined limit is exerted sideways upon its toe causing the same to turn in the right-hand direction. for example, of the ski, then the right-hand one of the rolls 19 will be slightly displaced to the right together with the righthand toereceiving piece 10. However, so far as the point of contact between the ski boot toe and the particular roll 19 is still located inwardly of the line between the center of the rear end of the ski boot and the corresponding pin 11, the toe-receiving piece is returned to its normal position upon cessation of the aforesaid lateral force due to a pivoting force acting on the toe-receiving piece in a direction to turn it toward the axis of the ski. It will be apparent that, as pointed out previously the ski boot toe is permitted easily to move horizontally away from and back to its normal position thanks to its contact with the rolls 19 which are free to turn on their respective pins 20. When slightly turned in the lefthand direction, too, the ski boot toe will succeedingly return to its normal position through the same action of the lefthand toe-receiving piece.

In event a force in excess of the predetermined limit is exerted upon the ski boot toe causing the same to turn either in the rightor left-hand direction of the ski, the point of contact between the toe and the particular one of the rolls 19 moves outwardly of the line between the center of the rear end of the ski boot and the corresponding pin 11. As the point of contact passes the line, a pivoting force is exerted to the toe-receiving piece in a direction to turn it away from the axis of the ski. Thus, the toe-receiving pieces 10 will be fully turned outwardly on its own pin 11 against the force of the spring 18, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The ski boot thus released from the toe fixture according to the invention is assumed to be simultaneously released from the cooperating heel fixture also mounted on the ski, in order to protect the skier from possible bone fractures or other injuries as in the event of his fall. Upon release of the ski boot from the toe fixture, the pair of toereceiving pieces 10 will be automatically returned to their normal positions shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 by the spring 18.

While the various objects of the invention, either explicitly stated or otherwise set forth, are believed to be fully accomplished by the preferred embodiments dis closed herein, it will be easy for those skilled in the art to devise many modifications or changes of such specific examples. It is therefore appropriate that the invention be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the fair meaning or proper scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A toe fixture for releasably securing a toe of a ski boot to a ski, the toe fixture being adapted for use with a heel fixture capable of exerting a forwardly directed force toward said toe fixture through a ski boot from a position of mounting of a heel fixture upon a ski remote from said toe fixture, said toe fixture comprising a frame, means for mounting said frame on a ski, a pair of toe-receiving pieces having front and rear ends, means pivotally supporting said toe-receiving pieces at pivot points located adjacent the front ends thereof upon said frame in such a manner that the rear ends of said toe-receiving pieces are turnahle in a plane parallel to the plane of a ski, said toe-receiving pieces having recesses formed in the rear ends thereof for receiving a toe of a ski boot, said recesses defining vertical wall portions constituting side pressure bearing portions for a toe of a ski boot, means between the front and rear ends of each toe-receiving piece for making sliding contact with a toe of a ski boot which define forward pressure bearing portions for a ski boot toe under the influence of the forwardly directed force of an associated heel fixture, the points of contact between said slidable contact making means and a toe of a ski boot being located substantially inside of imaginary lines extending between the center of a heel end of a ski boot fixed in position of mounting of a heel fixture and the respective pivot points of said toe-receiving pieces and adjacent a longitudinal center line through said toe fixture and associated ski in the normal position thereof, spring means for normally tending to urge the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces away from each other, said slidable contact making means in cooperation with the aforesaid points of contact and imaginary lines maintain a ski boot in a normal position of use by the forwardly directed force exerting against said slidable contact making means to pivot said rear ends of said toe-receiving pieces relatively toward each other when the associated one of said points of contact is located inside of its associated imaginary line and release a ski boot by the forwardly directed force exerting against said slidable contact making means to pivot said rear ends of said toe-receiving pieces relatively away from each other when the associated one of said points of contact is located outside of its associated imaginary line, said toe fixture being devoid of linkage means between said slidable contact making means, and said pivot means forming the sole connection between said frame and said toe-receiving pieces.

2. The toe fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said slidable contact making means are defined by a roller carried by each toe-receiving piece between the front and rear ends thereof.

3. The toe fixture defined :in claim 1 wherein said slidable contact making means are defined by an integral extension of each toe-receiving piece between the front and rear ends thereof, and said extensions are directed in opposing relationship to each other.

4. The toe fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring means is defined by compression spring means positioned between the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces.

5. The toe fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein the axes of said rollers are disposed generally vertically relative to said toe-receiving pieces plane of turn.

6. The toe fixture as defined. in claim 2 wherein said spring means is defined by compression spring means positioned between the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces.

7. The toe fixture as defined in claim 3 wherein the spring means is defined by compression spring means positioned between the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces.

8. The toe fixture as defined in claim 3 including a roller carried by each toe-receiving piece extension.

9. The toe fixture as defined in claim 8 wherein the axes of said rollers are disposed generally vertically rel' ative to said toe-receiving pieces plane of turn.

l l l UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3, 900,207 DATED August 19, 1975 INVENTOR(S) Michio Iizuka It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the Abstract Page, under the heading FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATE, change "48-2040" to read 20401/73 Signed and Scalcd this second Day of ommmys [SEAL] A nest:

RUTH C. MASON Arresting Officer C. IAISIIALL DAMN Commissioner ufPatents and Trademarks 

1. A toe fixture for releasably securing a toe of a ski boot to a ski, the toe fixture being adapted for use with a heel fixture capable of exerting a forwardly directed force toward said toe fixture through a ski boot from a position of mounting of a heel fixture upon a ski remote from said toe fixture, said toe fixture comprising a frame, means for mounting said frame on a ski, a pair of toe-receiving pieces having front and rear ends, means pivotally supporting said toe-receiving pieces at pivot points located adjacent the front ends thereof upon said frame in such a manner that the rear ends of said toe-receiving pieces are turnable in a plane parallel to the plane of a ski, said toereceiving pieces having recesses formed in the rear ends thereof for receiving a toe of a ski boot, said recesses defining vertical wall portions constituting side pressure bearing portions for a toe of a ski boot, means between the front and rear ends of each toe-receiving piece for making sliding contact with a toe of a ski boot which define forward pressure bearing portions for a ski boot toe under the influence Of the forwardly directed force of an associated heel fixture, the points of contact between said slidable contact making means and a toe of a ski boot being located substantially inside of imaginary lines extending between the center of a heel end of a ski boot fixed in position of mounting of a heel fixture and the respective pivot points of said toe-receiving pieces and adjacent a longitudinal center line through said toe fixture and associated ski in the normal position thereof, spring means for normally tending to urge the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces away from each other, said slidable contact making means in cooperation with the aforesaid points of contact and imaginary lines maintain a ski boot in a normal position of use by the forwardly directed force exerting against said slidable contact making means to pivot said rear ends of said toe-receiving pieces relatively toward each other when the associated one of said points of contact is located inside of its associated imaginary line and release a ski boot by the forwardly directed force exerting against said slidable contact making means to pivot said rear ends of said toe-receiving pieces relatively away from each other when the associated one of said points of contact is located outside of its associated imaginary line, said toe fixture being devoid of linkage means between said slidable contact making means, and said pivot means forming the sole connection between said frame and said toe-receiving pieces.
 2. The toe fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said slidable contact making means are defined by a roller carried by each toe-receiving piece between the front and rear ends thereof.
 3. The toe fixture defined in claim 1 wherein said slidable contact making means are defined by an integral extension of each toe-receiving piece between the front and rear ends thereof, and said extensions are directed in opposing relationship to each other.
 4. The toe fixture as defined in claim 1 wherein said spring means is defined by compression spring means positioned between the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces.
 5. The toe fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein the axes of said rollers are disposed generally vertically relative to said toe-receiving pieces plane of turn.
 6. The toe fixture as defined in claim 2 wherein said spring means is defined by compression spring means positioned between the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces.
 7. The toe fixture as defined in claim 3 wherein the spring means is defined by compression spring means positioned between the front ends of said toe-receiving pieces.
 8. The toe fixture as defined in claim 3 including a roller carried by each toe-receiving piece extension.
 9. The toe fixture as defined in claim 8 wherein the axes of said rollers are disposed generally vertically relative to said toe-receiving pieces plane of turn. 